Fear. That was her friend's first reaction when she found out she was pregnant last year, said domestic helper Marie, whose friend is also a domestic worker. "If her employer found out, she could be blacklisted and sent back to the Philippines. But her family needs her help financially," said Marie, who declined to name her friend. "She thought of losing the baby here." But Marie and other friends chipped in to help the 37-year-old buy an air ticket home, where she gave birth. Now, the baby boy is cared for by her family while she is back working in Singapore. Her boyfriend, an Indian construction worker here, helps to support them financially. About 100 domestic helpers are reported to get pregnant each year, or less than 0.05 per cent of all such workers here, a spokesman for the Manpower Ministry (MOM) said. If a domestic helper becomes pregnant, her employer is expected to report it to the Manpower Ministry (MOM). Employers will not forfeit the security bond bought before the helper arrived if they prove that they reported the pregnancy when they were first aware of it.They must also show they informed the domestic helper of the conditions of her work permit - which include not becoming pregnant unless she is already married to a Singapore citizen or permanent resident with the approval of MOM. Employers bear the cost of any medical treatment incurred by their domestic workers and must buy medical insurance for them with a minimum cover of $15,000 per year.The number has remained stable over the past five years although the number of maids has risen by about 10 per cent. Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and employment agents told The Straits Times that they see only a handful of pregnancy cases a year. But, as in Marie's friend's case, more are likely unreported.A domestic worker usually panics when she finds out she is pregnant, because she can lose her job. This is because one of the conditions for a work permit is not becoming pregnant or giving birth here unless she is married to a Singaporean or permanent resident with the approval of MOM. Dr Noorashikin Abdul Rahman, president of Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2), said: "They may be pushed to do things that are not quite wise, such as hiding the pregnancy and giving birth prematurely."In October, a 33-year-old Indonesian maid was arrested after giving birth to a stillborn baby and hiding the foetus in a drawer in her employer's house. Mr Tay Khoon Beng, owner of Best Home Employment Agency, said sometimes, the baby could have been conceived while the woman was on home leave.There are also those who are married to other foreign workers in Singapore or abroad. However, these women are sometimes still left to fend for themselves. "Joy can become a disaster if the father disappears," said Ms Valli Pillai, director of casework at the Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (Home). Then there is the difficulty of facing the family back home if the baby is illegitimate.Archdiocesan Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People (ACMI) senior executive officer Elizabeth Tan said: "If they are single, they may be the talk of the town or the village, and the family's image will be affected."Singapore has a mandatory settling-in programme for arriving first-time domestic workers. An MOM spokesman said it teaches them about their rights and responsibilities, and informs them of available help channels. He said: "The programme does not cover topics relating to sex education as these may potentially offend cultural and religious sensibilities, given that they come from different backgrounds."However, NGOs said formal sex education could go some way towards helping maids understand how to protect themselves from unplanned pregnancies. Home conducts health talks and gives out condoms at some of its events, said Ms Pillai. TWC2's Dr Noorashikin said: "They should be given all the information needed to make a decision, just like any other adult."Baby conceived during maid's home leave, Straits Times, 3 DecSome domestic helpers get pregnant not while in Singapore, but while on holiday back home. That was the case for Ms Arik, 38. In September this year, a month after she returned from a month-long holiday in Indonesia, she began complaining to her employer, Mr Luke Wong, of abdominal pains. It was only after visiting a doctor, going for a scan and being admitted to KK Women's and Children's Hospital that they found out she was pregnant.She was about eight weeks pregnant and the timing made it clear that the baby was conceived with her husband, whom she had married four years earlier. Instead of sending her home immediately, Mr Wong and his wife let her stay on in their house to rest."She was worried about the baby but we assured her that we would make sure everything is okay before she goes back," said Mr Wong, a 58-year-old marine officer with one son. He said: "The conditions in her kampung may not be so good. If anything goes wrong how would she go to a hospital?" He appealed to the Ministry of Manpower to extend her stay and she was able to return home in the middle of October.The Wongs keep in touch with the first-time mother-to-be, who hopes to return to work for them after having been with them for about 10 years. "I like Singapore because my employers trust me like family," Ms Arik told The Straits Times through WhatsApp. "I must work hard to get money to look after my baby." Said Mr Wong: "We're excited to find out the gender of the baby."Atmosphere of fear prevents pregnant maids from seeking help, Straits Times, 28 OctWe were concerned to read that a foreign domestic worker was arrested after giving birth to a stillborn baby ("Maid hides her stillborn baby in drawer"; Oct 21).According to Article 12 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, to which Singapore is party, all pregnant and postnatal women should have access to appropriate support and healthcare. (Winter: One of MOM work permit condition is that FDW shouldn't be pregnant. Pregnancy would mean maid will get a free ticket home = repatriation. If FDW has free healthcare and unable to deliver a good FDW job, that will further prove that Spore employers have been taken advantage, abused and deliberately cheated by 'vulnerable maids'. Maids are working adults and should be held fully responsible for all their acts/decisions, Employers shouldn't be liable for anything or be accused of not taking good care of their FDWs. There's no reason to say the contract is invalid or unfair. This is the terms and conditions which were specified before each FDW was recruited and issued work permit.)We are concerned that societal prejudice and labour regulations create an atmosphere of fear and stigma that prevents pregnant and postnatal domestic workers from receiving the support that they need. Pregnancy and childbirth are prohibited under a domestic worker's work pass. Under the law, employers are technically required to report pregnancies to the Ministry of Manpower, leading to cancellation of the work permit and the worker's deportation. It is, therefore, very hard for a domestic worker to raise the matter of her pregnancy, as her livelihood is at risk.Moreover, the idea of a domestic worker's pregnancy is negatively perceived by Singaporeans. A domestic worker may fear that raising the issue will trigger anger and abuse from her employer. In view of this, the worker's attempts to hide her pregnancy and birth were likely the acts of someone who felt backed into a corner with no other options. We question whether it is fair to further penalise a woman in this position with the threat of prosecution under criminal law. (Winter: so you mean Employers should be penalised for a cheater or pregnant maid? Did employer cause FDW to get pregnant? Did we encourage FDWs to find men or love in Spore? Didn't we highlight our fear when mandatory off day was introduced? What are we? ATM machines or humans? Human rights means you can push the blame/your fault to somebody else legitimately?Read: why resist off days) Moreover, stillbirth is frequently a physically and emotionally traumatising experience, which can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder in subsequent pregnancies. A woman who has endured this urgently needs physical and mental healthcare, without the further trauma of arrest and criminal investigations into an understandable act of desperation. (Winter: Maids are working adults, make them answerable for their own choice. They chose to go thru such experience so Employers shouldn't be pointed as not being understanding or making FDW go thru traumatic experience. If FDW doesn't know having sex may get herself pregnant, whose fault? Certainly not employers! We are not their guardians. mothers or agencies. Preach but not blindly and kept targeting the employers who are clearly not at fault! Be a real saint, not clothed in wolf skin.)This is not the first reported case of a foreign domestic worker becoming pregnant and attempting to conceal her childbirth, and it likely will not be the last. In 2010, it was reported that 100 workers are deported each year ("100 pregnant maids sent home a year"; Sept 29, 2010). Some women may also turn to black-market products in an attempt to terminate their pregnancy themselves, which is dangerous.We urge the Government to consider the stigma and harm that the policy of pregnancy deportation creates. At the very least, pregnant and postnatal women who find themselves in this difficult situation should not be subject to criminal proceedings as a result.Goh Li Sian (Ms)Research and Advocacy CoordinatorAssociation of Women for Action and ResearchRead: Taking medicine illegally sold online can kill youIndonesian maid jailed 3 months for burying her dead babyRising number of abortions on foreign women'Reluctant' to give maids weekly day off

According to Shin Min Daily News, the woman, said to be a maid from Indonesia, had complained to her employers that she was not feeling well. She was taken to a clinic and subsequently referred to KK Women's and Children's Hospital for tests, where a doctor suspected that she had recently given birth.

Upon further questioning, the woman admitted to having delivered a baby boy who died on birth and having hidden the body in a drawer in a second-floor room at her employers' house. When contacted, a police spokesman said it was alerted to the incident at 1.22pm and discovered the baby's body in the drawer.

The baby was pronounced dead by paramedics at the scene. The spokesman said the woman was arrested for concealment of birth by secret disposal of a dead body. The Straits Times understands that the baby was born premature at five months old.

Shin Min said the woman has been working for the family - an elderly couple and their daughter, her husband and her 11-year-old son - for more than a year. According to the report, the maid is married with two sons.

A 26-year-old Indonesian maid was arrested after she confessed to slaying her newborn baby with a pair of scissors. Kajang OCPD Asst Comm Abdul Rashid Abdul Wahab said the woman was brought to the Serdang Hospital at around midnight on Sunday after she complained of severe pain in her abdomen."Her employers, who were unaware that she had just given birth in a room in their house, brought her to the hospital to seek medical attention. "After close inspection by the doctors, the maid admitted to delivering a baby a few hours ago," ACP Abdul Rashid said. He said that a police report was lodged after the maid told the doctors that she had flushed the newborn baby down a toilet in her employers' house. "However, the forensics team found no traces of the newborn in the toilet. The team eventually found the dead baby in a room along with a pair of scissors.

"The maid then admitted to using the scissors to slit the baby's throat," he said.

ACP Abdul Rashid added that the child's father, a Nepalese national, was unavailable to have his statement recorded as he had returned to his country. The maid's employers declined to be interviewed when met at their Taman Kajang Baru residence where the woman had worked for over two years.27 Nov 2013

Maid's own flesh and blood but not made out of love. Was just a matter of shiok/personal pleasure! Murdered her own child after having fun with man. Now FDWs have mandatory off days, more such cases will happen ... it is like hungry slut having a 'good rest' and enjoy time with her companion(s).

Below are from the news, I didn't make up stories. Activists/Ministers can continue to side and fight for maids's rights because these are not your FDWs! To you, maid's sexual desire is part of her human rights, Employers can't stop them. If FDW violated her work permit condition (get pregnant or moonlighted), she will get a free air ticket home, in the form of repatriation - a gift of love/token of appreciation from Ministry of Manpower but fully funded by employer. You don't feel the pinch and the weight of MOM's policies. Nor do you bother to find out the losses such maid has brought to their unfortunate employer.

A 30-year-old Indonesian maid was arrested by the police on Saturday night in connection with an abandoned newborn baby that she had apparently found outside her employer's home. The baby girl, who still had her umbilical cord attached, was left outside a terraced house near Sixth Avenue last Friday night, according to the home owner, who declined to give her name.

The middle-aged woman told The Sunday Times on Saturday morning that her maid found the baby when she was taking out the garbage. The maid then took the baby into the house and notified the woman's husband, who called the police. "I don't know why the baby was abandoned there," the woman said. The police confirmed on Saturday that they received a call about the baby last Friday at 9.20pm. The case has been classified as abandonment of a child and investigations are ongoing, said a spokesman.

The maid has been working with the family for more than two years.

Residents The Sunday Times spoke to said the home belonged to a retired couple who go by the surname Yeo. Their maid is known as Yanti.

Cases of abandoned babies are relatively rare here, although there was a similar incident reported on Aug 9, when a week-old baby girl was found by a passer-by at a Serangoon Central lift lobby. The police, however, have since tracked down her 28-year-old mother. Prior to that, the last report of an abandoned baby was in April 2011, when a runaway Indonesian maid buried her newborn baby, with his umbilical cord still attached, in a rooftop garden of a multi-storey carpark in Eunos. The baby boy, whose mouth was stuffed with mud and dried leaves, was still alive when he was found by a retiree.

Sacrificing a life so that the mother (FDW) can continue enjoy sex and employment in Spore. Can't find these maids' name in English. I suppose they are welcomed to work in Spore because I doubt MOM will blacklist them.

Police made a grisly find yesterday at a home in Serangoon Gardens, at Brighton Road.

According to the Shin Min Daily News, police dug up the body of a newborn baby in the garden of the two-storey private residence. The home owner's Indonesian maid is believed to be the baby's mother. She has since been arrested. According to a police spokesperson, the baby was pronounced dead. An Indonesian maid in her 30s was arrested at the scene.

Neighbours whom the evening daily spoke to described the woman as being on the plump side, and "quiet". She had been working for the Chinese employers for less than six months, they revealed.

Winter: See what netizens and I mean, give maids official off day to flirt and give rise to pregnancy cases. Then discard their problem or kill it before their employers or husbands find out. Now is November, 11 months after mandatory off day was implemented .... good job Ministry of Manpower and Halimah. You have created more evil and heartless creatures who sought fun and did not want to bear responsibility. Don't you feel sinful? 造孽 无罪？It is a life! The baby was born alive but killed by the FDW mother.

Another child abandonment, maid's child - AsiaOne, 14 Aug 2013Maid kept baby in employer's house for a week before abandoning herThe mother of a baby girl who was abandoned at a housing block's lift lobby had such a drastic change in her appearance that a concerned neighbour thought she was abused and starved.Last Thursday (Aug 8), Chinese evening daily Lianhe Wanbao reported that a week-old baby girl was found abandoned at the lift landing of Block 203 in Serangoon Central.The mother, who is a maid, appeared pallid and gaunt the night after she delivered the baby.The concerned neighbour who saw her that night, said: "When I saw the maid a few months back, she still looked healthy and cheerful. It was such a stark contrast when I saw her two weeks ago. I thought she was abused, and probably wasn't given any food to eat."When asked by the neighbour's maid, the mother of the abandoned baby denied that she was mistreated by her employer.Lianhe Wanbao reported that the maid usually wore loose and baggy T-shirts and shorts, hiding her figure.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
7 Sep - Maids made up all sorts of excuses when they are obviously in the wrong. They have a lot of unreasonable demands and expect Employers to please them, especially the Filipinos.

They claimed they are slaves but worked shorter hours than their employers. They expected to be treated like a princesses.

They claimed to be pregnant is part of human right. When maid chooses a job as FDW, you accept the terms and conditions. When an air stewardess is pregnant, she cannot fly but she works in a big organisation, thus, the company is able to give her an admin or ground job. As a FDW, you don't belong to a big organisation/company, you only have one employer as per your work permit. No employer need a pregnant woman who cannot do this, cannot do that... get her to deliver full FDW services might endanger her health and unborn, who dare to employ you?

When a prostitute is pregnant, she cannot have any customer. She chose the job so she has to accept the requirements to be a prostitute. No man would want to pay a pregnant prostitute and be accused of hurting the unborn. Some maids used their FDW status to be prostitutes. They sleep around, get into trouble and expect others to be kind to them. They did something not permitted by law yet expected leniency, using human rights as an excuse. Not only that, FDW expects to be treated like human and be well treated like a pregnant woman. FDW totally ignored the requirements of her job. She cheated but felt it is her rights. She does not care she has hurt somebody due to her actions. She refused to bear full responsibilities for being irresponsible, selfish and insensible.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2 Sep - Let's assume one day MOM is filled with blinded love for foreigners, especially the FDWs and is determined to make working mothers suffer even more, want to make employers act like maids for their FDWs, do you want to have a pregnant maid enjoying life in your house? If she uses pregnancy as an excuse, pretend unwell, too weak and/or refuse to perform 'strenuous duties' such as carry your child, tidy up the upper bunk, step on the chair to clean the ceiling fan, squad down to pick up food or dirt on the floor, etc... are you willing to cover her chores? Are able to be an understanding employer? After a hard day work, you still need to be your maid's maid? She gets weekly off day, lesser or lighter duties whereas you have more on your shoulder. You may have to hire a maid for your existing maid. You are not treated like a human being by MOM/PAP. Not given enough rest, became a robot working harder than your maid yet unpaid for the services you rendered to your FDW, do you feel great?

If FDW is covered under Spore Employment act, she’s entitled to maternity leave and if you fire her due to incompetency – unable to work as per her job scope, can you bear the costs related to her pregnancy eg termination compensation or maternity leave of a pregnant woman? Employer has the rights to terminate the poor services of FDW, a person who is of no help to the household but does it apply to a pregnant maid? If you let her transfer, who wants her? In Spore, maids can go back to agency and get a transfer, unlike Hong Kong or any other country - no such thing. Is there a Spore employer or kind soul who is willing to pay the services of a FDW yet couldn’t use her fully for 9 months, end up being the one to take care of a pregnant maid, bear her medical costs (due to injury, not related to pregnancy), maternity leave as well as incompetency? It is cheaper and makes more sense to find a new FDW who is fit to deliver domestic chores.

To avoid problem and headaches, prevent another pregnant maid (see below) working in Spore, cheated the employer, should all transfer maids do pregnancy test before they are transferred to new employers? FDWs have mandatory off days, who knows what they did behind employers' back, we can't control their mind and bodies. Agencies are earning a lot from maids and employers so shouldn't MOM set a new regulation whereby all agencies or FDWs to bear the full costs of HIV and pregnancy tests before they start work with a new employer?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
29 Aug - Affairs of maids in Singapore. Extracted and copied here.From time to time, you’d notice The New Paper running stories on maids in Singapore who are having affairs with Bangladeshi workers and getting pregnant. We should know that these ‘affairs’ are taking place in hotels around the island.

The first question is, with the $300-$400 salary that these maids are earning, where are they getting the money to visit these hotels?

They are also frequently seen having expensive phones. Are they getting all this money from their owners in a legal manner? And who is going to take the responsiblity when the maid gets pregnant? The employer, or the Government?

I’m sure the Government is taking at least a few hundreds of levy money. So with all the money that the Government is collecting for letting them stay here, they should be the ones taking responsibility right?

Why are work permit holders such as maids and general laboureres allowed to visit hotels in Singapore for a few hours? Aren’t they supposed to be here to work? And why is the Government even allowing this to happen?

I am ashamed to see that Singapore may be becoming a marraige broker for foreign work permit holders. These maids are literally crying to get to work in Singapore. But soon after they get here, they seem to need boyfriends and check-in to hotels.

Why not they invite these Bangladeshi labourers to their countries of origin, such as Philippines and Indonesia, to have their affairs instead? If this going to continue happening, we are going to see more maids getting pregnant and even being murdered. This has happened many times in Singapore, a very gruesome case being the recent ‘water tank incident’. What is the Government, the Home Team of Singapore and ICA in particular, doing about all this?

Singa Bala

Comments from:
* G T Raj: How do the maids improper behaviour and immoral activities with foreign workers placed under surveillance? Who is responsible? How are they contained?

Most employers in Singapore are fair to the maids. But once they are left on their own and in most cases the employers, both husband and wife, go to work all hells breaks loose. The hand phone become a convenient tool. Once it is exchnaged with the usually Bangladeshi worker then the love starts. Even amorous activities inside the bin centre is not all altogether uncommon.

That is why time and again employers are against the one day off per week. This unless the MOM can assure that once these maids cross an ethical line they are either deported and serious action taken against the maid’s agency. This is for failure to assure that their maids are properly trained and behave themselves once they are here on contract.

Can MOM assure that these maids behave and if they cross a line what action will be taken? Just go to any cheap hotels and one sees the regular occurances. Even at times in the employers house when both are away you have also similar occurences. I am not saying all maids are like these with good ones that we have heard and read.

There is responsibility for the maid agencies to be held in stricter check and a special unit manned by private investigation units to report and stamp out these nuisances.

* Cecil Chua: I was a little disturbed when I read this.
(1) People need love and companionship. You might expect a particular maid or worker to live alone for years, but not a whole bunch of them. When you did NS, do you recall how any girl looked attractive after your first book out? What’s wrong is the government’s insistence that the employer be punished for the employee’s human needs.

(2) Social problems get created when one brings in a large number of immigrants. But you can’t blame the immigrants for this. They want to earn money and they hope they can earn better money in Singapore than elsewhere.

(3) I blame two groups. The first is the government, which enacts policies without considering the social cost of those policies. Seriously, if you’re paid millions of dollars to lead, I expect you to have foresight and be able to plan.

* ABC Teacher: Common sense, for example, if your car is lost or damaged at a private pay car park, the car park owner shall at least responsible for part of the liability. But in the maid case, the government is collecting hundred millions of dollar each year from levy, but take no responsible and liability! What the F???!

* tocqueville: Have a heart. The maids here are mostly young women in the prime of their sex lives away from home. Would anyone in this forum like to spend several years alone in a foreign country and living a celibate life like a monk or nun? The solution to prevent maids getting pregnant is very simple, employers could teach them about contraception and giving them a pack of condoms on their days off.

* Tax Heaven: There are many things decent S’poreans can do for their maids if they care to.
Think out of the box. We all have gone through that age if we are now adults. My anger goes towards the tax collectors and middlemen who wash their hands off everything except to collect money and fatten their own pockets. May they rot in hell.

* MYOB n close our eyes?: So being foreign workers and being human, when one is away from home for long period, one can misbehave and have affairs with other foreign workers and break up families? Many maids are already married with young children back home. Should we turn a blind eye to such increasing relationships?

* Heaven's watching: What we have here is a gahmen which LOVES MONEY more than anything else. What is foremost in their minds is nothing else but money. Humanity is dead as long as they’re concerned.

Just like the casinos, they’ll tell us that people should be mature enough to judge for themselves what is right and what’s wrong; what should be done or what should not. Why would they be bothered about how people are being affected by their ‘money making’ policies?

With the compulsory 1 day off for maids, whoever supports this law will be gahmen’s accomplice. Many more families will be broken and more innocent lives (abortion) will be lost. God is waiting……..waiting to punish these people.

* Enough: I do agree that maids are human too however, the PAPigs should abolished the S$5K insurance/guarantee money and levy. Full Stop! Why should employers be penalised for something they have no control over since its the f***king Government that creates the environment.

* Singa Bala: I know the maids and labourers here deserve thier human rights. But they really are here to work and irresponsible sexual habits can lead to so many problems for Singaporeans.

I think the best solution offered so far is a proper contraception education programme for all of such workers here. And the government should pay for it!

* Nora: Leave the Banglas and Filipino maids alone they mean no harm. That is the price every country pay for Urbanisation, and Singapore being a so-called First World Country is no exception. The problem is not them but the system. Why should the employer pay a heavy fine when their maid gets pregnant. Are we to secure them with chastity belts? They are humans, they have a right to socialise and have friends. What we need is to scrap this “fine” should maid get pregnant, and a cut from their wages to pay for their fare back home. This way she has to face her husband and family back home and deal with the problem.

* Beenthereseenit: The problem is if your foreign maid gets pregnant, you lose your bind, if they run away, you lose your bond, if they get into trouble, you lose your bond. That’s why Singaporeans watch over their foreign worker like a hawk and put strict rules like no off days, no going out alone etc. foreign worker = $5000!

The government collects all that money from levies (another form of tax Singaporeans are paying) but takes no responsibility for any problems or even welfare for foreign workers in other words, they take the money, you bear the burden.

People say Singaporeans are slaves drivers and stingy employers. In actual fact, if employers (who are really just simple folks needing extra home help) don’t have to pay that high levy, they can pay their maids more. PAP government makes criminals and tyrants out of ordinary citizens!

In her summary of facts submitted to the Tribunal, she accused Besthelper of misrepresenting the maid's employment record.
She said: "If I had known that (the maid) had been transferred three times during the last two years and was sent back to Indonesia once, I would not have picked her as I had made it very clear to...the maid agent...that I needed someone with either clean or good employment record in Singapore."
She noted that the maid was already 18 weeks pregnant although she had been with her for only seven weeks. "That means she was already 11 weeks pregnant when the maid agency housed her and recommended her to me," she said.

Just to highlight, not every employer will be so lucky to get a refund due to maid's pregnancy.

My sister's no off day Myanmar maid (unwed) was pregnant one year ago. She chose to return home and abort the child, early termination. She claimed she made use of the time she was asked to run errands to show 'how much she loved' her boyfriend. She doesn't feel sinful to take away an unborn's life because both had no intention to get married. This maid is back to Spore and working for another employer. My sis was willing to take her back as an experienced FDW, which means a much higher salary after my sis encountered 2 'successors' who gave her a hard time.

﻿

20 Aug - A maid was pregnant but chose to endure and finish her contract. She lost her baby while delivering her chores. How can a maid stay in Spore to do easy tasks due to her long-waited pregnancy and expects the employer to do all the manual work or part of her workload? Otherwise, hire another maid to assist that pregnant maid? Is there such a logic? Will our sickening and compassionate/pro-maid MOM tweaks its policy for the benefit of FDWs?

This maid who manages a Facebook page related to maids having a tough time in Spore said that "The real devil is the law which prevent people from doing a God given human right - to have children. How can this law exist and people accept it as correct law? You may blame my sister maid, but the real devil cause all this, is we allow this type of law to exist. Who care about why the law exist? Is it exist for some people's convenience? well, how convenient also, it is illegal law if it goes against human right, to have child. we don't even need government to pay for child, but they say `no children'?"

One of the commenter posted this which I totally agree "Planning a baby must be careful specially you are a helper. Everything is your job. Unless you have employer very understanding and they care for you and your pregnancy. Use always your brain when you are carrying a baby;you are not alone to have breathing,both two of you has precious life. (We don't blame the law no matter what happen,it is you;is you are the one who make your life in danger with the fetus) You could not able to blame your employer as well,because you are under of contract and you should know your status to your employer."

Just another selfish action or unrealistic mindset of maids pushing the blame to others. Maids knew the working terms & conditions as FDW in Spore yet trying to twist the law to their advantage (in the name of human rights), expect employers to bear or share their problems. This is insane! Nowadays, maids are selfish and capable of getting a lot more than what they deserve. Gave them a bit they want more. So hard to satisfy their big appetite. They cannot differentiate themselves as FDWs (housed at employer's premises) and are not covered by Employment Act .... means cannot be pregnant and enjoy pregnancy in Spore as maid.

So conveninent to get employers in bad state and put them thru unnecessary stress and financial losses. Maids knew employers are not protected by MOM so dared to do such thing.... a loophole for maid to achieve her dirty tricks. Obviously, a maid's fault but cunning Facebook maids viewed in another angle, an angle that is piercing the employers! Is this fair to another human being? Is this how you treat another human whom you called employer, engaged you for your services and paid you as per market rate? 对得起天地良心? 这是所谓的人权，平起平坐?

The maid who had abandoned her new-born baby girl last Thursday has been blacklisted and is no longer able to work in Singapore again.

A reporter from the publication contacted the maid agency to better understand the rules and procedures.

According to Miss Huang, 40, a representative from the maid agency, maids are firstly screened if they are pregnant before being hired. That is the fundamental requirement.

"We always emphasise to them about the procedures if they get pregnant. They will be sent back to their countries, but they are still able to come back to Singapore and work," said Miss Huang.

"However," she added, "If they were found out to lying and dishonest about their pregnancy, they will be blacklisted and prohibited from working in Singapore again."

According to Miss Huang, maids will usually get scared and heed to the warning after hearing the word, 'blacklisted'. Miss Huang also answered the questions that Lianhe Wanbao posed on their report yesterday.

1. Since she is a transferred maid, how did she evade the mandatory check-up?

Miss Huang replied that maids are required to undergo a health check-up once every six months. It was possible that her pregnancy was undetected as it was not time for her scheduled check-up yet.

2. When the maid changed employer, she was already pregnant for four months. Why was the maid agency unaware of her pregnancy?

From what Miss Huang understands, there are still ways to avoid detection when the agency brings the maid to the clinic for a check-up. The maid could have swopped her urine with another maid to hide the truth.

3. How did the maid manage to deliver and hide the baby before she abandoned it?

The maid's employer, Mr Gao, said that the maid slept in the store room and kept the door closed at night.

A check by the Lianhe Wanbao reporter revealed that while the storeroom was close to the kitchen, it was located a distance away from the bedrooms. The store room was also soundproof, thus ensuring that the secret was kept hidden from Mr Gao and his family for a week.

The maid's employer, Mr Gao told Lianhe Wanbao that the maid had a short and chubby stature when she started working for his family in March. He did not suspect anything amiss then, and found her to be hard-working.

Mr Gao, 65, said that his family was unaware of her situation until he heard a baby's cry in the kitchen last Thursday morning.

"I was at home with my five-year-old grandson and I asked him to investigate the noise. When he asked the maid where the noise came from, she said it came from a handphone," said Mr Gao.

While he did not suspect anything initially, Mr Gao's suspicions were triggered when the maid left home with a bag. He thought the bag was carrying a baby.

From what he understood, the maid gave birth to the baby girl at home and stained the mattress with blood. The sheets have been taken away by the police as case exhibits for investigation.

Mr Gao told the Chinese Daily that maid bumped into his son-in-law when she was leaving the house in a hurry. He had just returned from buying breakfast and said she appeared to be calm then.

The 65-year-old added that when his son-in-law was watching television the next morning when he spotted the wrap on TV. It look similar to what his five-year old son used to wear.

"We were immediately suspicious," Mr Gao said, "After we pieced the clues together from yesterday's chain of events, we immediately lodged a police report."

The maid initially denied that she was the mother of the abandoned baby when she was questioned by the police, and only confessed after they found photos of the new-born on her handphone.

Mr Gao said after their residence was visited by many police officers after his son-in-law made a police report. "The police kept questioning her," said Mr Gao, "but she kept denying and insisting that she wasn't the one who abandoned the baby."

Winter: MOM, do you have any plans to adopt the maids' babies and let them become Spore citizens? With your off day policy, making employers bear the problems created by you and maids, not forgetting your open hands concept to welcome foreigners, this looks like a brilliant idea. Maids are humans too, isn't it? You don't suffer any damages so I suppose such cases will be further encouraged by your exisiting policies. Maids have off days and are so net savvy to learn cunning tricks.

I have browsed the web and till now, I still didn't see that maid's name or picture published in the news. Trying to cover something? Protect a 'victim' ... excuse me, who's the real loser in this? Isn't it the employer who has wasted money on placement/agency fees, not forgetting repatriation? Did MOM prevent media from doing so or media trying to give that maid another chance to work in Spore? It is not unusual for bad maids to come back to Spore using a new name and new passport.Pregnancy leave - The New Paper

If maid thought she can be pregnant in Spore, holding a Foreign Domestic Worker work permit, she is wrong. There's no protection or rights because it is clearly stated in her work permit, maids cannot be pregnant or be married in Spore. Adultery is 'allowed' for normal employee, such as below. MOM will help to fight for such case. So, maids in Spore, do you want to jump out and fight for justice.... claim Spore govt didn't treat you like human beings? Who know you may win and have a baby in Spore. Felt the law didn't allow you to find love in Spore? MOM is on your side. The activists will be happy to scream and fight for your welfare.

Our govt ie MOM will happily endorse policies/terms that doesn't burn their pockets! Can you see our govt's stand on condoning adultery, weaken our moral and spiritual judgement cum belief to satisfy your demands? Can you see what 'big step' our MOM took to give you off days and helping you to reduce placement fee (maid loan).... at the expense of employers?

The mother of a baby girl left at a Serangoon Central lift lobby on Thursday has been found. The 28-year-old domestic maid is assisting in investigations, police said on Monday. The healthy, week-old infant was found by a passer-by at Block 203 Serangoon Central on Thursday afternoon, wrapped in a light blue cloth and black scarf and wearing a white jumper and diaper.

Reactions:

4 comments:

Readers to my blogYou're highly encouraged to share my blog and views. The reason I have this blog is to vent my frustration as a special needs mum cum maid's employer. I may get good support but I do know most of the time, I receive negative remarks/comments, mainly because most FDWs' employer are viewed as baddies.

It is good to get more people to know about how special needs family survive in Spore and trying to stay employable (work full-time) by employing a maid. I appreciate people who bother to highlight what I am going thru. Since I have made this blog to be viewed publicly and allow comment posted using Anonymous, I know the consequences.

/This maid who manages a Facebook page related to maids having a tough time in Spore said that "The real devil is the law which prevent people from doing a God given human right - to have children./

Ridiculous! Soldiers don't have babies during deployments - and many diplomat families don't either. Many 1st world young families would put off having children while working overseas in less desirable countries because they don't want complex citizenship problems for their children.

I'm a human being with human needs - but right now I'm in college so I exercise my judgment and go without - there simply isn't enough time and money for me to have a boyfriend. I live and go to school in the suburban outback, mine is a small campus so dating would be troublesome if it goes sour and I have to avoid him and my grades would suffer. Better I focus on my studies - it's only a few years - then I'll have money and time to date once my career takes off.

Dating takes money - I refuse to be a 'brought girl' who lets boyfriend pay for everything - but as a college student - money is all from savings - I've been looking for a part-time job - but then I'll have even less time for college and volunteer activities to pad my future resume.

For me to have a boyfriend right now, I could a) date someone on my small campus with only one cafeteria, if it goes sour he could harass me at class, all the buildings are connected and less than a 15 minutes walk - he could make a scene in front of my professors. Even if it stays sweet, it's a time waster because I rather have my time to study or job search or friends - friends are just easier than boyfriends, and many friends will help you find job - boyfriend probably won't. Maybe some boyfriends are true love, but there is lust as an ulterior motive that friends won't have.

b) Use my weekend to go downtown and get a boyfriend there, incurring the travel and eating out expense - maybe risk my life with a one-night-stand who might refuse condom and rape me, give me STD?

Two or Four years is not an eternity! Why can't these girls think about the future? Don't waste time and stretch things out, work, save money, get out!